WTiTPA Project: CSF
Continuous Multi-Sensing of Cerebrospinal fluid as a therapeutical approach
Celebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis is quite important to detect and assess conditions related with the brain and spine. CSF is a clear fluid that plays important role to deliver nutrients to the central nervous system and plays role as a protection and carrying out waste too.
Normal way of collecting CSF (for detection of fluid pressure, proteins, glucose, red blood cells, white blood cells, chemicals, bacteria, viruses) is through lumbar puncture. We are proposing a novel way of continuous measurements of different biomarkers in CSF which will allow for more evidence based therapeutic approaches and to show the huge potential of having a rapid diagnostic bedside test that will alleviate the need for time and labour-intensive testing.
External ventricular drain (EVD) is used for short-term treatment of hydrocephalus by diverting cerebrospinal fluid and monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP). EVD insertion is a common neurosurgical procedure however it has the challenge of high infection rates.
Current methods of diagnosing CSF infection in patients with EVD involves CSF sampling in patients who have already exhibited systemic signs of infection e.g. fever. This process of CSF sampling from the EVD is itself a risk factor for infection as it involves inserting an external needle into the closed system.
The proposed project will open the door towards many new target analytes which will act as pre-warning system for a lot of diseases which are not well understood so far. Faster diagnosis of ventriculitis and as a result timely intervention and hence reduction of morbidity and mortality are the main driving forces.
Principal Investigator: